Protesters hold placards during a city council vote for a new "head tax." May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Gregory Scruggs

Why would any city punish the biggest companies in town by imposing a tax on every job those businesses create? That’s the question raised by a bi-partisan coalition seeking to overturn the newly imposed “Head Tax” in Seattle. The effort to repeal this obnoxious scheme in a voter referendum has already drawn strong support from local Republicans, the business community, and even some labor unions, giving it a strong chance of success.

Meanwhile, nearby Tacoma isn’t hesitating with its own effort to lure frustrated Seattle businesses to relocate to a friendlier environment: instead of a new tax of $275 per job, they’d get a $275 tax credit for each new job. While Seattle leftists punish job creators to fund more homeless services, engaged voters and free market incentives can still overrule them.